Aircraft security system

ABSTRACT

It guarantees the immediate disablement of any violent action bringing the perpetrators under control without any possibility of escape, attack or aggression. It includes an image transmission system with night-time and daytime vision in an angle of 360°, wide angle and zoom, the image being transmitted continuously to the cockpit ( 2 ) and to a security cabin ( 4 ), as well as providing images for ground. The cabins ( 2, 4 ) are sterile, with hermetic sealing, furthermore having an independent communication system between them and an independent aeration and ventilation system. Selective switched triggers for paralysing gas are provided in both cabins ( 2, 4 ) with independent action by the captain of the aircraft in order to inundate the passenger cabin with complete paralysis of everyone therein.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Continuation of co-pending PCT ApplicationNo. PCT/ES02/00449, filed Sep. 25, 2002, which in turn, claims priorityfrom Spanish Application Serial No. 200102150, filed Sep. 25, 2001.Applicants claim the benefits of 35 U.S.C. §120 as to the PCTapplication and priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 as to said Spanishapplication, and the entire disclosures of both applications areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

As stated in the title of this descriptive specification, the presentinvention refers to an aircraft security system, which defines a systemthat is both preventive and one of response in the event of a hijackingin aircraft, including certain relevant and advantageous characteristicson account of its effectiveness, in relation to conventional securitysystems.

With the proposed security system, the immediate disablement of anyviolent action is guaranteed, with the perpetrators being brought undercontrol without any possibility of escape, attack or aggression.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nowadays, security systems for aircraft do not guarantee the immediatedisablement of the aggressors in any violent action, and conventionalsecurity equipment also include firearms with the imminent danger thatthis action entails. They do not guarantee the security of thepassengers nor the intrinsic value of the aircraft.

Document BE-A-761488 describes a procedure for rendering inoffensive thepassengers in an aircraft and a device for embodying said procedure. Theprocedure consist on hermetically isolating, at least the cockpit fromthe passengers cabin and providing expulsion means controlled by amember of the crew for expelling a product for immobilizing thepassengers such as a soporific product.

Document DE-A-19732806 describes a surveillance for use in aircraftinteriors, especially in passenger aeroplanes.

The aim of the invention is to increase the security on board aircraft,especially on board passenger aeroplanes in the event of unexpectedincidents such as accidents or hijackings. To this end, the inventivesurveillance device has image acquisition devices which are installed onboard the aircraft, an on-board communications unit with inputs for theimage acquisition devices and a memory unit for preferably compressedstorage of the image data supplied by the image acquisition devices, asteady-state communications unit which exchanges data with the on-boardcommunications unit, image data processing and image reproductiondevices being connected to said steady-state communications unit, andtransmitting and receiving devices for transmitting at least the imagedata from the on-board communications unit to the steady-statecommunications unit and control data from the steady-state to theon-board communications unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In general terms, the aircraft security system, which constitutes theobject of the invention, includes a series of elements which togethercomprise an integral system of protection.

It includes preventive elements and other response systems in the eventof emergency.

Included among the former are the image capturing means and imagetransmitting means via digital technology with components capable ofproviding daytime and night-time vision, in an angle of 360°, wide angleand zoom. The image is continuously transmitted to the reception panelin the cockpit and to the reception panel in at least one security cabinprovided for the purpose in a position away from the cockpit, withcontinuous recording being made on the digital recording means of atleast 14 images per second in data storage means, providing images forground via data transmission means.

It is also planned to have approval of a sterile cabin, adapted forincluding hermetic sealing preventing the entry of gases in accordancewith safety regulations for armour-plating against physical penetration.

Also provided are means of independent intercommunication between the atleast one security cabin and the cockpit. The means of independentintercommunication between the at least one security cabin and thecockpit comprise at least one means selected from

-   -   audio means    -   video means        and combinations thereof.

The aircraft also has first means of aeration and ventilation that areindependent for the cockpit and independent second means of aeration andventilation for the at least one security cabin. The first means ofaeration and ventilation and the second means of aeration andventilation can be shared by the cockpit and by the at least onesecurity cabin.

As response systems in cases of emergency, the security system has a gasstorage system in accordance with safety regulations for gaseoussubstances of determined physical and chemical characteristics. Inparticular, this regulation can be regulation RD 2216/1985, usingnitrous oxide or similar.

There is also a means of expulsion as per the safety regulation forgaseous substances of the following physical and chemicalcharacteristics: Sublimation temperature −88° C. Critical temperature+36° C. Triple point −80° C. Appearance and colour Colourless

The security system includes equipment for the security crew and flightpersonnel, pilot, co-pilot and radio operator comprising filtrationmasks for the gaseous compound used.

Selective switched triggers of paralysing gas are provided in the atleast one security cabin and in the cockpit. The triggers are providedwith means for being actuated by the captain of the aircraftindependently. When the triggers are actuated, the passenger cabinbecomes inundated with a complete paralysis of everyone therein.

With this arrangement, the emergency system possesses the followingoperational development:

By means of the preventive system in an inaccessible compartment, thesecurity equipment is to be found divided into two separate areas. Fromthe moment the doors are closed for take-off until landing, any movementby passengers is verified by means of the television control system, andany incident that takes place will be monitored and recordedcontinuously. In the event of an aggression in the space occupied by thepassengers and by means of the internal communication existing betweenthe at least one security cabin and the cockpit, the members of thesecurity team will assess the incident and use the system of triggeringthe nitrous oxide compound or similar, inundating the passenger cabin,which, given the characteristics of the gas applied, will, within amaximum of twelve seconds, produce complete paralysis of everyone onboard, except those whose are in the cockpit and in the at least onesecurity cabin.

The crew will be warned by means of a light and acoustic signal so thatthey can prepare themselves for an emergency in accordance with theemergency manual.

Once the number of minutes established in the standards of action havepassed, a member of the security team, protected by a mask designed forthe specific gas being used, will intervene, bringing those responsiblefor the attack under control, at all times being directed and supportedby the second member of the security team, who will under nocircumstances abandon the control and recording posts, and who, togetherwith the captain, will be able to again inundate any zone of conflictnot under control in the event of any emergency.

The security system that is advocated guarantees the immediatedisablement of any violent action, bringing the perpetrators undercontrol without any possibility of fleeing, attack or aggression, giventhe immediacy of the action of the gas used, mentioned above, or similargases, which must not be toxic, they must leave no side effects, theymust be approved by the health authorities and be non-flammable. Theonly effect produced on the passengers with the application of thenitrogen compound (nitrogen hemioxide, for example) is a tranquillisingeffect with a cessation of activity.

In no case will the security team use firearms and they will at alltimes act in accordance with their training in order to bring suspectsunder control, and in order to guarantee their action they will usedarts containing paralysing substances used in veterinary work.

Once the suspects have been brought under control, the system activatesthe evacuation of the gas inundating the passenger cabin and reactivatesthe entrance of oxygen enriched air in order to revive all thepassengers.

The safety and intervention teams will again return to their posts for apossible second manoeuvre.

At the moment in which the emergency system is activated, whateverimages are being produced will be sent under emergency code formonitoring from ground by data transmission means, since the aircraftwill be under a possible hijacking code.

The security system considers the emission of chemical components whichcannot be filtered by conventional masks, where the real base of thesystem can comprise nitrogen hemioxide.

In order to facilitate an understanding of the characteristics of theinvention and forming an integral part of this descriptivespecification, attached are some sheets of drawings in which, by way ofillustration only and not to be regarded as restrictive, the followinghave been represented:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an aircraft having controldomes at strategic points endowed with night-time and daytime visioncameras, operating continuously.

FIG. 2 is a partial view of an aircraft showing the cockpit, protectedby a permanent camera.

FIG. 3 is a partial view of an aircraft showing the rear central partthereof where, in this case, the security compartment is to be found,inaccessible to the passengers and crew.

FIG. 4 is a partial view of an aircraft showing the central partthereof, where the ducts for some additional fuel tanks and other gastanks are established in the event of emergency.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Described below is an embodiment of the invention with reference to thenumbering adopted in the figures. The number of control domes (1)included in the aircraft security system depends on the length of thecabin and on the passenger capacity. The aircraft shown in FIG. 1 hassix control domes (1) installed. The control domes (1) are fitted withthe necessary technology for guaranteeing perfect vision in any part ofthe aircraft, and there are also strategic cameras guaranteeingcontinual vision at all times.

FIG. 2 shows the cockpit zone (2) protected by the permanent camera (3)and provided with isolation elements for gases already mentioned,including direct and protected access to the physiological servicesarea.

With special reference to FIG. 3, the safety compartment (4) can beseen, comprising a separate and independent space with physiologicalservices, without access to the cockpit and which defines aninaccessible space for the passengers and crew, provided with monitorfor permanent viewing.

The components of this security team will be appointed and trained inaccordance with government security regulations and in accordance with aset of defined rules of action.

The security cabin (4), as with the cockpit (2), will be provided withindependent aeration and ventilation having devices for making contactwith ground, as well as for switched triggering of the gas inundationsystem or emergency system.

Finally, it can be seen in FIG. 4 that the zone of the diagram where theducts for additional fuel tanks and conditioned air outlets (5) areestablished, and coinciding with the existing ducts (6), the necessarygas tanks are, depending on the model of aircraft, stored for theemergency situations that have been described, without having to makevirtually any modification to the original conditions of the aircraft,combining the utilisation of the aeration and cooling of the aircraftitself.

However, the location of the paralysing gas tanks would not be anythingother than a technical decision in terms of their distribution, and atno time would their distribution affect the efficiency with which theaircraft is protected.

The response time of the prototype gas is estimated at between four andten seconds, according to the concentration used in its mixture with theair, which practically rules out the possibility of an air hijack.

A basic embodiment of the aircraft security system as described in theclaims, which has the preventive means and response means in cases ofemergency for guaranteeing immediate disablement of any violent actionby means of bringing the perpetrators under control without anypossibility of escape, attack or aggression, comprises:

-   -   a cockpit (2)        -   with hermetic sealing in order to prevent penetration of            gases,        -   with security armour-plating for preventing physical            penetration,    -   image capturing means (1, 3);    -   first transmitting means for transmitting the images obtained by        the image capturing means (1, 3) to the cockpit (2);    -   first means of independent aeration and ventilation for the        cockpit (2);    -   storing means for storing a paralysing gas;    -   expulsion means for expelling the paralysing gas;    -   a plurality of first switched triggers located in the cockpit        (2), so that the stored paralysing gas can be expelled by the        expulsion means and inundate the passenger cabin with complete        paralysis of everyone in said cabin when the images obtained by        the image capturing means (1, 3) show an emergency situation;        and the aircraft security system is characterized in that it        comprises:    -   at least one security cabin (4)        -   with hermetic sealing in order to prevent penetration of            gases,        -   with security armour-plating for preventing physical            penetration,    -   independent communicating means between the at least one        security cabin (4) and the cockpit (2);    -   second transmitting means for continuously transmitting the        images obtained by the image capturing means (1, 3) to the at        least one security cabin (4);    -   second means of independent aeration and ventilation for the at        least one security cabin (4);    -   a plurality of second switched triggers located in the security        cabin (4), so that the stored paralysing gas can be expelled by        the expulsion means and inundate the passenger cabin with        complete paralysis of all people in said cabin when the images        obtained by the image capturing means (1, 3) show an emergency        situation.

The independent communicating means between the at least one securitycabin (4) and the cockpit (2) can comprise at least one means selectedfrom:

-   -   audio means,    -   video means,        and combinations thereof.

Optionally, the first means of aeration and ventilation and the secondmeans of aeration and ventilation are shared by the cockpit (2) and bythe at least one security cabin (4).

The aircraft security system can also comprise:

-   -   third transmitting means for transmitting the images obtained by        the image capturing means (1, 3) to ground;    -   receiving means for receiving an order coming from ground so        that the stored paralysing gas can be expelled by the expulsion        means and inundate the passenger cabin with complete paralysis        of all people in said cabin when the images obtained by the        image capturing means (1, 3) show an emergency situation.

These third transmitting means can comprise mobile telephone means.

The image capturing means (1, 3) can comprise at least one means ofvision selected from

-   -   means of night-time vision,    -   means of daytime vision,    -   means of omnidirectional vision;    -   means of vision by wide angle;    -   means of vision provided with zoom;        and combinations thereof.

Said image capturing means (1, 3) permit a capture frequency of at least14 images per second.

The aircraft security system can furthermore comprise recording meansfor recording the images obtained by the image capturing means (1, 3) ona data storage means.

As another additional characteristic,

-   -   the first transmitting means,    -   the second transmitting means,    -   the third transmitting means,    -   the recording means,        can carry out their functions with the images obtained by the        image capturing means (1, 3) done continuously.

The image capturing means and the recording means may use digitaltechnology.

Optionally, the triggers for the paralysing gas can be provided withmeans for independent action on the part of at least one member of theflight crew.

The storing means for storing the paralysing gas and the expulsion meansfor expelling the paralysing gas can comply with the safety regulationsfor gaseous substances of certain physical and chemical characteristics.In particular, the storing means for storing the paralysing gas maycomply with regulation RD 2216/1985.

The paralysing gas used in the aircraft security system can be selectedfrom

-   -   a gas and    -   a mixture of gases.

Specifically, the paralysing gas can be nitrous oxide.

Additionally, the aircraft security system can comprise a supply offiltration masks for at least one member selected from

-   -   security members,    -   crew members        and combinations thereof.

The paralysing gas used can comprise chemical components not filtered byconventional masks.

1. An aircraft security system, which has preventive means and responsemeans in case of emergency for guaranteeing immediate disablement of anyviolent action by bringing perpetrators under control without anypossibility of escape, attack or aggression, said security systemcomprising: a cockpit (2) with hermetic sealing for preventingpenetration of gases, with security armour-plating for preventingphysical penetration, image capturing means (1, 3); first transmittingmeans for transmitting the images obtained by the image capturing means(1, 3) to the cockpit (2); first means of independent aeration andventilation for the cockpit (2); storing means for storing a paralysinggas; expulsion means for expelling the paralysing gas; a plurality offirst switched triggers located in the cockpit (2), so that a storedparalysing gas be expelled by the expulsion means and inundate thepassenger cabin with complete paralysis of all people in said cabin whenthe images obtained by the image capturing means (1, 3) show anemergency situation; characterized in that said security systemcomprises: at least one security cabin (4) with hermetic sealing forpreventing penetration of gases, with security armour-plating forpreventing physical penetration, independent communicating means betweenthe at least one security cabin (4) and the cockpit (2); secondtransmitting means for continuously transmitting the images obtained bythe image capturing means (1, 3) to the at least one security cabin (4);second means of independent aeration and ventilation for the at leastone security cabin (4); a plurality of second switched triggers locatedin the security cabin (4), so that the stored paralysing gas be expelledby the expulsion means and inundate the passenger cabin with completeparalysis of all people in said cabin when the images obtained by theimage capturing means (1, 3) show an emergency situation.
 2. An aircraftsecurity system, according to claim 1, characterized in that it furthercomprises: third transmitting means for transmitting the images obtainedby the image capturing means (1, 3) to ground; receiving means forreceiving an order coming from ground so that the stored paralysing gasbe expelled by the expulsion means and inundate the passenger cabin withcomplete paralysis of all people in said cabin when the images obtainedby the image capturing means (1, 3) show an emergency situation.
 3. Anaircraft security system, according to claim 2, characterized in thatthe third transmitting means comprise mobile telephony means.
 4. Anaircraft security system, according to claim 1, characterized in that itfurther comprises recording means for recording the images obtained bythe image capturing means (1, 3) on a data storage means.
 5. An aircraftsecurity system, according to claim 1, characterized in that theindependent communicating means between the at least one security cabin(4) and the cockpit (2) comprise at least one means selected from audiomeans, video means, and combinations thereof.
 6. An aircraft securitysystem, according to claim 1, characterized in that the first means ofaeration and ventilation and the second means of aeration andventilation are shared by the cockpit (2) and by the at least onesecurity cabin (4).
 7. An aircraft security system, according to claim1, characterized in that the image capturing means (1, 3) comprise atleast one means of vision selected from means of night-time vision,means of daytime vision, means of omnidirectional vision; means ofvision by wide angle; means of vision provided with zoom; andcombinations thereof.
 8. An aircraft security system, according to claim1, characterized in that the image capturing means (1, 3) permit acapturing frequency of at least 14 images per second.
 9. An aircraftsecurity system, according to claim 1, characterized in that the firsttransmitting means, the second transmitting means, carry out theirfunctions with the images obtained by the image capturing means (1, 3)in a continuous way.
 10. An aircraft security system, according to claim2, characterized in that the first transmitting means, the secondtransmitting means, the third transmitting means, carry out theirfunctions with the images obtained by the image capturing means (1, 3)in a continuous way.
 11. An aircraft security system, according to claim4, characterized in that the first transmitting means, the secondtransmitting means, the third transmitting means, the recording means,carry out their functions with the images obtained by the imagecapturing means (1, 3) in a continuous way.
 12. An aircraft securitysystem, according to claim 4, characterized in that the image capturingmeans and the recording means use digital technology.
 13. An aircraftsecurity system, according to claim 1, characterized in that thetriggers for the paralysing gas are provided with means for independentaction by at least one flight crew member.
 14. An aircraft securitysystem, according to claim 1, characterized in that the paralysing gasis selected from a gas and a mixture of gases.
 15. An aircraft securitysystem, according to claim 1, characterized in that the paralysing gasis nitrous oxide.
 16. An aircraft security system, according to claim 1,characterized in that it further comprises a supply of filtration masksfor at least one member selected from security members, crew members andcombinations thereof.
 17. An aircraft security system, according toclaim 1, characterized in that the paralysing gas used compriseschemical components not filtered by conventional masks.